fashioning.

This week, my Victorian Literature class took a field trip to the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. I've walked past the building a hundred times, but inside are rooms full of history, colour and stories. Each corner had a piece of character about it - almost in an inexplicable way.

In the attic, which is open, airy and bright, English class commenced. We talked about poems within the artist's studio, which was also where we were. The Group of Seven painted their famous works in this space, high above the busy streets of Toronto and with snow dancing outside before the blizzard.

No Internet, no overheads, no slide shows. Just us, our books and natural light. We stepped back in time, and surrounded by easels, mirrors and props, immersed ourselves into the texts. The words painted themselves into concrete form beside us.

My most valuable lesson this week? Stop and smell the roses, but be sure to look up and climb one of those rickety stairs or two. Looking at the world from a different view may open a door to new thinking and ideas.

Photos by Portia Favro